Johnnie Walker Blue Label 750ml - $ 119.99 + Tax - Costco

Quote from gemini : So what would recommend for an excellent single malt?

I like Jura

Friends came over, one drank scotch, Blue is his favorite, we each had two 1 1/2 ounce shots. We were done.

Quote from tooslow : Tee, hee... I'm not saying that it is BAD whiskey, just that I can't see any difference between Blue and Black. This weekend, I'm have some friends over. I will put out the bottle of Blue and a bottle of Patron Silver and say "Help yourselves". I'll report back on whether or not the bottle of Blue was drained (I'll bet not).

bah, i'd rather get 6 bottles of glenlivet 12yr than pay this much for a blended scotch

some affordable single malts i've enjoyed are: the glenlivet 12, glenlivet 16yr nadurra, glenmorangie 10, laphroaig 10, highland park 12, balvenie 12, and aberfeldy 12.

if you want to see a huge selection of single malt at costco like prices, try looking for a store called "Total Wine & More" in your area.

Quote from laphroaigh : Good price but its NOT great whisky Get a good single malt for half this price

gotta love it when people say you can get a better product for cheaper, but fail to say what.

Anyways, I don't think its fair to shun blended whiskies and say that single malt is superior.

Love the intensity and character of a single malt. Love the smoothness and complexity of a blended. Depends on my mood. I like having that choice.

Though I do like JW Black in it's price range....yesterday grabbed some wonderful The Balvenie 12 yr. Signature for $65....simply out of this world.

Of the Glenmorangie bottles, my favorite is the Quinta Ruban < $50. Its the most intense, mellowed by the 2 years in a port cask. Also tried 18 year (nice - lighter), signet (can't remember), 10 year (ok but has an aftertaste). Need to try the lasanta again.

Balvenie 12 year doublewood as previously mentioned is good

Quote from bletzinger : Of the Glenmorangie bottles, my favorite is the Quinta Ruban < $50. Its the most intense, mellowed by the 2 years in a port cask. Also tried 18 year (nice - lighter), signet (can't remember), 10 year (ok but has an aftertaste). Need to try the lasanta again. Balvenie 12 year doublewood as previously mentioned is good

I was not a huge fan of the regular 10 year Glenmorangie. Saw a new bottle called Artein (15 and 21 Years Old Glenmorangie, extra matured in ‘Super Tuscan’ wine casks) in the shop recently, but it's twice the price.

Quote from mandangolo : gotta love it when people say you can get a better product for cheaper, but fail to say what. Anyways, I don't think its fair to shun blended whiskies and say that single malt is superior. Love the intensity and character of a single malt. Love the smoothness and complexity of a blended. Depends on my mood. I like having that choice.

I think his point was that for <$120 you have a choice of literally dozens of options in a single malt that will all be higher rated than JWB. Obviously flavors and profiles are subjective, but there are a ton of choices.

And I agree that blended whiskies have their place as well. I think the biggest issue I have with JWB is that it's marketed as a high end luxury item when in fact it's not...it's just priced that way because they spend millions of dollars telling people it is. lol

Quote from broadwayblue : ... is that it's marketed as a high end luxury item when in fact it's not...it's just priced that way because they spend millions of dollars telling people it is. lol

This can be said for many so-called "luxury" items.

Quote from wasabi_fu : This can be said for many so-called "luxury" items.

True indeed.

Anyway this thread got me in the mood for scotch so I ordered a few bottles to round out the collection. Got Aberlour, Ancnoc, Bowmore, Highland Park and Old Pulteney on the way.

This is still on sale at Costco for $120. Was at the Costco in Foster City, CA today. Deal did NOT end on 6/8.

Quote from DudeMeetsDad : Costco Chino Hills has Oban for $53 and Lagavulin for $67. Both are fantastic although quite different flavors. The end cap is a whiskey special and they have bourbons and whiskies they don't usually carry. JW Blue is the most overrated drink next to Cristal.

Just last week, I picked up a bottle of Oban at Costco Hawthorne (Manhattan Beach) for $43!!! Lagavulin was around $53 - I wanted to try that but I've been drinking Laphroiag exclusively for the past year or so and want something other than an Islay malt. I'm very happy with the Oban, it's still a bit peaty/smoky like an Islay but with the smooth/sweet/maltiness of a highland.